


The Voice With No Flaw

by reprehensibleClockwork



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Homosexuality, M/M, Romance, Secret Relationship, Sexual Content, i don't even remember where I was going with this fanfiction, i'm not sure, possible sexual content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-02-09 21:32:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1998561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reprehensibleClockwork/pseuds/reprehensibleClockwork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is well known throughout the magical world for his magical abilities, and isn't very well known at all for anything in the city of Camelot. As he was invited to sing at an after tournament feast, he finally had his voice heard, the voice no one he knew he had, and also managed to catch the fancy of the victorious Prince the feast happened to be for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh! finally done with the first chapter! I have been working on this for a very good [friend](http://dignifiedhuntress.tumblr.com/) of mine, as we had recently both shown a very strong interest in Merlin.
> 
> I hope this is well enjoyed!!
> 
> [Here](http://actual-homo-johnegbutt.tumblr.com/) is my tumblr just in case you want it! c:

   Arthur was smiling, looking to you as you poured a cup of mead for the both of you. You sat alone with him, his eyes locked directly on yours as you two went on your conversation. He was laughing at your jokes, and every once in a while you would catch him looking down at your lips. Oh how you wanted to capture those lips with your own. A gentle smile washed across your lips and you did your best not to blush as he scooted a little closer to you. You reached your hand out, and he grabbed it in his own. The silence was actually rather pleasant between you as he leaned your head on his shoulder and gave the most delicate of sighs. You were happy; happier than you have been for quite some time now. Your heart was thumping away happily in its cage as Arthur's eyes caught yours again. You could feel his breath on your face, and you're rather sure he can feel yours. This was probably the most romantic thing you have ever experienced as he leaned in, the space between lessening and lessening until you can feel his lips on yours; only a brush, nothing substantial. Nothing more than just a touch, although your entire body seemed to crave for more. Your body, your mind, and your soul seemed to be starved for Arthur's attention, and you knew you wanted this more than anything. You leaned in, closing the space, feeling his warm lips against yours and you melt against Arthur's body. His arms wrap around you, and you feel so warm and secure in his arms and--

 

   Your eyes snap open to a fully lit room. Oh, just another dream? You look around your little room broom closet thing, and notice you are laying on the floor. Must have fallen out of bed. That would make a lot of sense, your arm and side are killing you. You stand up slowly, listening to your back snap and crackle and pop until you reach your full height. You want to see Arthur. You don't care what day it is. You don't care today is your birthday. You don't care you will have to clean to be around Arthur. All you want to do is be there, all you want to do is be seen in his presence.

 

   God, you feel like one of the _many_ fangirls Arthur has accumulated over the years.

 

   With a gentle sigh you stand and look around your room once again. You had laid out your clothes the night before like the smart little wizard you are, and even made sure there would be water to wash up with for today. You walked with tired legs over to your clothes and managed to get them on in record time. You were really excited about today. There is a big tournament to see today, it's your birthday today, there is a giant feast after the tournament you were invited too. It's going to be fun.

 

   Not only were you invited to the feast, but Uther himself had asked you to perform. He had heard your singing at one point and sounded quite impressed with it, asking you to be entertainment at the feast. You hadn't really been planning on ever singing in front of many people, but you couldn't help yourself. More like you said you would do it before you had a chance to think about how you were stage fright and everything. You didn't even think your voice was that good! But apparently it was good enough that the king liked it. That's actually a huge complement to you. You had been staying up for nights, practicing on your singing skills, as apparently you need to put them to good use. You wonder if you can impress Arthur with your singing.

 

   You rush down the stairs to the little table in the middle of the main room, completely forgetting you aren't alone in this house. There was the smell of cooking food wafting past your nose, smelled like chicken. Maybe turkey? Either way, it made you hungry. There was a little pail in from of you with a washcloth, just how you left it. A voice came from behind as you picked up the washcloth, making you nearly crawl out of your skin.

 

   "Merlin."

 

   You jump, turning around to see the source of the voice. _Oh_ , just Gaius. You let out a sigh and shake your head a little. "I don't think you realized how much that scared me. Morning, Gaius." You said with a smile.

 

   "Morning, Merlin." The elder gave a gentle smile as he walked his way over to the little cast iron stove, grabbing a pot holder and pulling the chicken out. Oh wow, did that look good. "Did you sleep well? The knots in your back bothering you anymore?"

 

   "There is one, right around my shoulder blade that is still bothering me, but all the others are gone. And yes, I slept well."

 

   "I heard you falling out of your bed. That must have been a pretty lucid dream? Mind if I ask what it was about?"

 

   Gaius, as much as it might disappoint you, not all of Merlin's dreams are prophetic.

 

   "I-it was nothing." You said fast and decided to just dodge it as much as you could. "It seems pretty late. Did I sleep in?" you brought the washcloth to your face and began to wipe it a little with the cool water. It always made you feel better in the morning. Gaius looked over to yo with his normal almost disapproving look.

 

   "Of course you slept in. It's your birthday, I wasn't about to wake you up." he shook his head a little at you as he looked back to the chicken, beginning to prepare it for sandwiches or something. Your eyes narrowed as you stared at the back of Gaius' neck. Of _course_ you are going to be late. You set the washcloth down in disbelief as you sort of regained your thoughts. Late means less time with Arthur! You nearly jump on your heals as you practically run toward the door, forgetting to say goodbye to Gaius and getting breakfast. Oops, you're gonna be one hungry servant. Maybe you can just snag something once you are in the kitchens. That's what you seem to do a lot of the mornings you are late.

 

   You ran your way down the halls of the castle, making your way to the kitchens first before anything else. You were not about to go in there and wake Arthur up without having Arthur's food. Besides, you would rather be in his good graces today of all days, and Arthur does have a big tournament to win today. You weren't about to do anything to jeopardize that for him. You decided to pick up his favorite breakfast; yes you have been keeping track of his favorites; and then made your way to his room. And very quickly. If you didn't wake him up soon, he would get pretty angry at you, and would be in a bad mood for the rest of the day, and you don't really want to have to deal with that. Not today of all days. You rushed by a lot of people in order to get over to Arthur's bedroom door. Your hands were full of food and a jug of water. You looked to both sides, then whispered something under your breath, hearing a click on the other side of the door and you slowly pushed it open with the side of your foot. Magic certainly comes in handy.

 

   You smile to yourself as you eyes land on the sleeping figure of Arthur. Isn't he just _precious_ when he is sleeping like that. You set the food down on the table after letting the door close, walking over to Arthur. You even knelt down at the bed side to look over him. His golden lashes rested on his pleasantly tanned skin, his lips curled into a tired and sleepy smile. His mildly thick eyebrows lifted a little higher than they normally are. And it even looked as though there was a little bit of a blush on his cheeks. You smiled. Arthur looks so _kissable_ right now. There is no way it can be legal to be this handsome, and he is _sleeping_! You fight the urge to lean over right there and kiss him, and just stand instead, walking over to the curtains and opening them slowly, letting the sunlight flood the room. You clear your throat and give the brightest smile you can muster.

 

   "Morning Arthur! Rise and shine!" you know you nearly sang that, which you curse yourself for it. But you keep your smile up despite yourself. There was a sleepy groan, and bit of movement under the covers as Arthur slowly sat up. His hair was sticking up in ever which direction it pleased, and you found it absolutely _adorable_. You gave a gentle smile this time, your head must have tilted tot he side because you were looking at him sort of sideways now. Arthur looked up at you groggily, and you noticed how his eyebrows furrowed all cute like. He is simply so precious. You give a little bit of a toothy grin this time, and he sighs.

 

   "What are you staring at, Merlin?" Your cheeks heat up. Oh god, you _were_ staring. There is no way you can save this one. Deflect!

 

   "Your meal is on the table, you have a bit of a big day ahead of you, so I made sure it was your favorite." Speaking of food, you forgot to grab something in the kitchens. Oops. Arthur grunted in a sort of acknowledgement, standing slowly and making his way behind the changing curtain in the room, next to his dresser. He seemed to be back there forever, hiding from your vision, and it made you frown a bit. You mulled around the room, thinking of something to bring up in useless conversation, but it seemed he was the one to bring it up first.

 

   "So I heard you are invited to the feast tonight, as a guest. How did you manage _that_ one?"

 

   "The King invited me." You said simply as you watched his shadow cast on the curtain.

 

   "The King invited _you_? Funny. If your a guest, you must be entertaining some how, or a member of high nobility. And last time I checked--"

 

   "I'm singing." you cut him off with the answer he was looking for. Arthur grew _very_ silent, and even still. "The King had heard me singing, and I can only suppose he liked it. I'm not entirely sure why, and I don't know why I excepted--"

 

   "He would have insisted until you performed anyways." Arthur said as he stepped out from behind the screen, now completely dressed. Even his hair was manageable and perfect to your standards. "I'm impressed. I never thought _you_ would be good at anything. Well, actually I have yet to see if you are good or not, I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up."

 

   You furrow your eyebrows at this and give a rather big frown. "Please, like a prat like _you_ could sing better."

 

   Arthur just chuckled to it. "Your realize _I_ can actually pay to get a personal tutor."

 

   "I've never had a tutor in my life and _I've_  impressed your father." Arthur obviously meant to say something, as he opened his mouth and took in a breath, and sort of furrowed his eyebrows instead. It took him a good thirty seconds before he spoke again.

 

   "Are you trying to one up me?"

 

   "No. Well, not _exactly_. Okay, yes."

 

   And your smile grows, which almost seems to make a smile grow on his lips. And you know you blushed a little, which makes you glad he turned and moved to sit down in front of his food. And you awkwardly stood there like a servant was suppose to. After a while, Arthur looked up at you, food balanced on his fork.

 

   "you seem like you are in an unusually chipper mood." You reply with a nod, which he furrows his brow a little more. "Why would that be?"

 

   "It's my birthday." you give a gentle smile. His eyebrows raise at you and he nods a little. Almost a look of approval. You don't know why, but every time you see that look from him, you always feel so proud of yourself.

 

   "See, good servants are hard to find. Servants who will work on their birthday, now _that's_ a good servant." You beam down at him, and you can't help but to let a small blush form on your cheeks. He just _complemented_ you, and you are beyond happy. You can't help but to feel warmth spread throughout your body at this, and you suddenly feel so happy. So much more happy than you were before. Arthur must have caught this, as a little bit of a smile formed on his lips. "Alright, Merlin. Go get my armor. I best be getting ready for the tournament."

 

   You nod, your smile never faltering as you turn on your heels, walking right out of the room and down the hall to get the armor. Today was going to be a _very_ good day, you can feel it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope I didn't ruin this, I'm really bad at describing fight scenes. They have always been my weakness, but I tried my hardest. Hope it isn't too horrible to sit though. This is mostly just a filler chapter anyways ahah.

   You have always thought Arthur looks _really_ good in his armor. Something about the way it glistens in the sun makes him seem so... handsome. You don't really know a better way to describe it. And they way he holds his sword makes it seems like it's an extension of his body. That determined look he gets in his eyes when it comes to tournaments always makes you blush, and you aren't entirely sure why. You love it that you are the one that helps him get his armor on; no other servant is allowed if you are around, and it's sort of flattering. Not sort of. Really. You come back with his armor just as he requested, and he is standing, gazing out the window. You try to be as quiet as you possibly can, watching him for as long as you can. The way his arms are crossed over his chest, and how his weight is shifted to one hip. He always has this little pucker to his lips when he is concentrating, and you love it. Love it.

 

   Your time of staring at him is cut short as you hear a loud 'clang' at your feet. You look down. Damn, you dropped his helm. When you look back up, his eyes are locked on you like they do every time you are in his presence and he is giving you the time of day. The feeling of heat spreads thought your body as a blush creeps onto your face. That look in his eye... It's always so intense. You bite the inside of your lip as you slowly make your way over to the table, setting the armor down, and he instantly strides over like he owns the place. Which he sort of does.

 

   "Sorry about the wait. You would not _believe_ how busy it is out there with the preparation for the feast and the tournament." You can't let the silence go on anymore. It almost literally hurt. You hate long silences in the first place. Maybe that's another reason why you 'blabber' so much, according to Arthur.

 

   "I can assume." He said shortly before silence is cast over the room again. You clench your jaw a little, just trying to bare with it for a while. You know full well is you start rambling, Arthur will get irritated.

 

   "Are you excited for your feast?" You just can't help yourself, can you? You roll your eyes for Arthur, and then realize he had done it himself.

 

   "It's not _my_ feast, Merlin. It's a feast for the victor."

 

  "Which will be you." You give a reassuring smile. Arthur rolled his eyes once again and gave a rather large huff. But you could tell he liked hearing that.

 

   After that, it almost seemed like the silence was pleasant. Arthur didn't speak, but it almost seemed like he was speaking with his body language. You constantly looked over to Arthur's face as you place his shoulder piece on, letting your fingers linger over his neck for a while, and you can tell he catches onto that with the way his body goes rigid. So you quickly detract your hands and give him a smile as you put his cape around his shoulders. Now with the helm in your hand, you look down at it for a time before slowly putting it in the fold of Arthur's arm. He looks you dead in the eye, his brow furrowing slightly. You know he is trying to figure you out. There is no way he would just be staring at you like this for no reason. You give a shy smile and bow your head to him like any good servant would do, turning to take your leave. You were stopped by his gentle voice.

 

   "Aren't you going to wish me luck?" his voice was softer than usual, and it made your cheeks flush with color. Of course, you knew you were forgetting something. You pause in your tracks right beside the door, putting on the brightest smile you could muster, which wasn't that bright at all. You turned to him, and you can tell he moved closer, your heart pounds in your chest and your smile falter a little more.

 

   "G-good luck on your tournament, Arthur." You stutter out, biting the inside of your lip. He gives you a small smile and raises his eyebrows.

 

   "And good luck at the feast, just in case I don't see you before then." He had pushed passed you and left you alone in his room. Alone in his room with your own thoughts.

 

_Oh gosh._

 

   You looked over to his bed, and then just took a moment to take in the entire room. You have been here so many times, but it still seemed so weird being in here, at least right now. After a while of staring and looking off into space, you decide you should probably get down to the arena to watch the tournament. You always love rooting Arthur on, even if he doesn't pay any heed to you. You turn on your heals and walk out the door, but you stop right out side the door. You should probably come back to clean this later. A smile curls it way onto your lips as you walk down the hall. Yes, you certainly want to see him compete today.

 

 

 

   The stands were full, so there was no way you could find a seat. That's alright though, you can just sit off to the side where Arthur can't see you and be like on of the many Arthur groupies and cheer him on nonstop. The crowd was going crazy, shouting and screaming as the king announced the participants. You didn't care about that though. You were only interested in Arthur, and when he walked out onto the turf, your heart reacted before your brain even registered it was him. He looked so regal, so beautiful with the way the sun lit up his blue eyes, turning them the color of the sun. You pushed yourself close to the boundary, a bright smile on your face. And he looked directly at you. This is the first time h had been seen by Arthur in all the different little tournaments you has been to. You even got a wave, which made your smile grow wider. But then you heard the giggling and squealing of girls behind you and the smile faded completely to a frown. Oh. How stupid of you to think that Arthur waved to his servant instead of the pretty girls.

 

   You roll your eyes a little and give a slight sigh, shielding your eyes from the shade as two opponents were put against each other. Arthur and some other man you have never met. You gave another smile as you saw Arthur look in your general direction, the helm in his hand being placed on his head. This is it, this is where the real action comes in! There were a few exchanged battle cries before the two where lunging at each other, shields bashing and swords clinging together. You jump a little as you watch the other's sword get a little to close to Arthur for comfort. Arthur stayed back to catch his bearings for only a few seconds before lunging back at the other, his footwork excellent as he made short work of the man before him, knocking his helm off with the pummel of his sword and swiftly kicking him in the chest to knock him over. You cheer loudly, your smile turning into a full force toothy grin. And it's almost like Arthur seems to notice. He looks back over in your direction, and his smile grows a little wider too.

 

   As the day went on, there was a lot of blood shed and many people knocked down, until Arthur and the other victor were in the finals. That's not a big shock to you that he made it to the finals. He is a wonderful fighter. And the undefeated champion. You gave Arthur another smile as he looked over the audience again, and his eyes always seemed to stop in your general direction, which caused your cheeks to heat up more than you thought your cheeks could. But you have resigned to the fact that it was probably just a girl behind you. The two on the field looked at each other for a while before they even thought of fighting. It's like they were observing the other's every move. Arthur, clad in the brightest of reds, was perfect contrast to the one before him, dressed in the most royal of blues.

 

   They circled each other for a time before they decided enough was enough, and the knight clad in blue lunged toward Arthur. He blocked, but you could tell it was wit much difficulty. You stood to watch the fight better, as you didn't want to literally be sitting on the edge of your chair the entire time this fight was going down. The blue knight had pinned Arthur against the wall, and he had managed to knock Arthur's shield off. You couldn't believe what you were seeing! This looked like a sign of defeat! Arthur grunted as he pushed the other off of him, some how managing the strength up to knock the other to the ground, kicking his sword away in the process. Without a moment of hesitation, Arthur had out the tip of his sword against the blue knights neck, and the crowd went crazy. It hurt your ears to listen to all of this screaming, and you decided to stay out of it to preserve your voice for Arthur's feast.

 

   You knew it was going to be Arthur's feast.

 

   You rushed out to great the victor, who was beaming like he normally does after the tournaments he wins. You couldn't find the words to say, but your brows were perched upward and he got the gist. You were instantly at his side, helping him take off his armor, and he was smiling and grinning the entire time. You loved seeing him like this, much more then you like seeing his almost depressed attitude before a tournament.

 

   "See? Didn't I tell you it was going to be _your_ feast?" You give a snarky little chuckle and he rolls his eyes.

 

   "I wasn't going to be that full of myself."

 

   "You're a _prince_ , isn't that your _job_?"

 

   You got a swift slap to the shoulder, and you chuckled, stumbling back slightly as Arthur walked away from you. "You should be practicing for the feast tonight, Merlin. The more practice you get the better." And he turned around the corner into the castle. You gave a smirk, your cheeks flushed brightly. Okay, good advice. You sigh a little and make your way back to your room, where you are going to put on your best clothes and prepare your voice for tonight.

 

   And that's when the wall of nervousness hit you.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As requested, Arthur seems to have a little bit of a problem with the Knight in blue.

You were freaking out. You couldn't find where anything was at, you couldn't find good clothes to wear. You're a _servant_ , it's not like you wear a lot of fancy clothes. You sit on the edge of your bed, sort of hyperventilating. You have nothing nice to wear, at all. You hear the front door open, and the sound of Gaius' voice and a female voice drift to your room. It's only a little while after that you hear a knock on your door. You hesitate, looking down at yourself. At least you are in a pair of pants, so you're decent.

 

   "Come in...." You murmur under your breath and watch the door open. Gwen walks in with a smile on her face, which falters a little when she sees the state you are in. She cocks her head to one side, and slowly moves to sit on your bed.

 

   "Wardrobe malfunctions?" She said with a small chuckle to her voice, which caused you to chuckle just as much. Something about that small laugh of hers was contagious.

 

   "Yes, I have just figured out I have absolutely nothing nice to wear, and I'm suddenly very stage fright." You admit with a small hit of worry in your voice, and Gwen seemed to pick up on that instantly. She reached a careful hand up and stroked your back, a smile plastered on her lips.

 

   "Well, thank the heavens you have me!" and he took two different colored fabrics off her lap. Purple and white. You give a questioning expression as she unfolds them. They're shirts, and they looks just your size, and your style as well. There even looks to be another colored fabric between them. "I made you a few shirts, purple, because I have always thought you look wonderful in this color, and white, so you can just, have it around I guess. You never know if you are going to go on a date and need to look nice. And--" She pulled the golden colored piece of fabric from between the two shirts. "This is a bandanna I made for you, I know you wear them a lot, and I figured that this gold color would go good with something you wear. Besides, yellow and purple have always gone together so well, but I do believe that the one blue one would go even better with this particular shade of purple."

 

   You are in awe. You didn't even know how to react to this. You grabbed the shirts slowly, and you are even more shocked. Their _silk_ , oh gosh, this costs a lot of money. You looked to her with an absolutely puzzled and shocked facial expression, and you don't know how to contain yourself. You instantly start laughing, and feeling like you might start crying. "I don't have the money to pay for these."

 

   "You don't have to. They are my good luck gift to you. Try them on!" She waved tot he shirts and you instantly picked the purple, discarding the other shirt and bandanna off to the side, slipping the shirt on over your head and marveling at it. Perfect fit. Gwen smiled brightly and clapped her hands together, obviously happy with her work. "You look fabulous! That shade complements your eyes, it really does! And put on that blue bandanna of yours!"

 

   You scramble around until you find it, tying that around your neck and Gwen squeals a bit. You can tell she is excited just as much as you are growing to be, and you give a few small chuckles before leaning down and grabbing your shoes, sitting down before slowly sliding them on. You had polished your shoes, and fixed up your favorite jacket, and now everything you are wearing looks brand new. You feel new. It's weird. You look down at her, a smile on your lips as you twirl so she can see you front and back. She gives a pleased little squeak and claps her hands again before standing herself.

 

   "Have you practiced, Merlin?"

 

   "I was practicing up until a about fifteen minutes ago..." You fell the anxiety bubble up in you, but you do your best to suppress it. You are excited. That's all. You aren't scared to sing in front of a ballroom full of people.

 

   Okay, maybe a little.

 

   Okay, maybe _a lot_.

 

   Gwen smiles up at you and grabs your arm in hers, "Well, I'm sure you will do fine. Just.. Imagine the one you love is the only one you are singing too, or the one you feel _most_ comfortable singing to, like Gaius. Focus on that and you should be fine." she gave you a large, reassuring smile as she walked you out of your room and to the dining hall you are to perform in.

 

 

 

 

   Arthur wasn't exactly talking to you, and you didn't know why. He wouldn't do anything other than grunt in acknowledgement at your words and then end up walking off somewhere else. You weren't sure to feel offended, or to blow it off like normal Arthur behavior. All you know is you can use the comfort of his voice right now. You were shown to your spot at the dining table, and a few noble men and women came to talk to you from there place. You tried to be very welcoming, but you know you were letting off an air of nervousness, and you could tell they caught onto it rather quickly. The one thing that took you by surprise mostly was the fact that someone very familiar sat off to the side.

 

   And it clicked.

 

   It was the blue knight, the one that Arthur defeated in the finals match. He was sitting at the table opposite from you, and he was smiling at you. You weren't sure how to react to this, so you just smiled and bowed your head like any good servant would do. This is strange, was he invited, or did he just show up without asking? Either way, you find it extremely odd. And when he gets up and has the obvious intention to come over to you and talk, you find yourself crawling out of you own skin. You don't know why, but you are freaking out harder than you have in a while, but a new level of anxiety bubbles inside of you as the trumpeters let everyone know to take their seats, the show is about to start. You knew that was your queue to stand up and walk toward the stage, and did your best to put on your brightest smile. Everyone's eyes were on the King, as he spoke and announced the events for the night. You feel your stomach drop as he announces your name, and all eyes move to you. You can tell most of them think you are just a joke. Some aren't even paying attention to you, and Arthur is one of those. You feel like you just wan't to walk off the stage right here, because you don't see any point in being here if Arthur doesn't pay attention. But the show must go on.

 

   You intake a small breath, closing your eyes before you begin to sing. You hear a few gasps around you as you slowly open your eyes, and now all the people sitting in the audience were looking at you. You feel your cheeks heat, but you keep singing anyways. You can't count how many times your mom had sung you this very song, saying 'this was the song your father song to me when we first met'. You have loved this song since you were a boy, and of course this was the song you were best at singing, it complemented your voice beautifully, or so you heard. You weren't too sure about that yourself.

 

   As you sing, your eyes trail to Arthur, who seems completely _mesmerized_ by your voice, which cased your cheeks to flush even more. You concentrate on him alone, and soon, you realize you feel like you are alone, just singing to him and no one else. And he looks like he loves it, so your confidence grows more than you even thought you were capable. The end of the song is near, so you give it your all, making sure to hit every note as perfect as you can muster, your voice gaining in volume as you near that final verse. You drop your voice, making it much quieter as you finish out the rest of the song, holding out the last note just like your mother taught you before bowing your head.

 

   You were expecting just one round of applause, but you were greeted with more than you thought you could imagine. it's like people came out of the woodwork to clap for you, including other servants from the kitchens. You couldn't believe the praise you were already getting, and you absolutely loved it. As everyone slowly seated, you noticed the only one left standing was Arthur. Your heart gave a little jump as you noticed this. He had his chalice of mead in one hand and gave a smile.

 

   "Now," he spoke above the crowd, and they instantly quieted, "I have come to realize this morning that today of all days is out dear Merlin's birthday as well." A few of the people around the room, mostly knights, grunted and cheered for a short time. Arthur gave a smile and looked you straight into the eye, and you could have melted. Something about the way he looked at you made you feel a little warmer than usual. "A toast to Merlin, the birthday boy!" and everyone raised their glasses, even the Uther, much to your surprise.

 

   You stepped off the stage and were instantly greeted by people, and you weren't too sure what to think of all this attention. Is this the amount of attention Arthur gets? You feel a hand on your shoulder, and you turn your head instantly. It is the blue knight, and you raise your eyebrows.

 

   "I never knew a man could have a voice as enchanting as yours is." He said with a gentle voice as he bowed to you. "I'm Thirston, knight of the farthest kingdom." he stands up the rest of the way, looking down at you. You're tall, about six foot, and he towers over you. It's intimidating. You give a gentle smile and bow your head a little to him.

 

   "I'm Merlin. There is nothing very special about me.... I'm prince Arthur's manservant?" You throw that out here, even though you know it sounds dumb. Thirston's lips curl into a Cheshire like smile as he looks to you, dipping his head to the side just a bit.

 

   "I find you extremely interesting, on the contrary." And you can't help but to let a blush form over your cheeks. To be honest, it was hard to hear him over the sound of everyone in this room, and he could tell. You were straining yourself closer to him just to hear. He grabbed your wrist without warning, and lead you out into the cold weather of the night air. You give a small shiver, and he puts an arm around your shoulders. Okay, that's a little creepy, but you decide that there is no harm being done, he is just being nice. And you give him your time, smiling at his stories and laughing at his jokes. You were actually enjoying yourself quite a bit, but something about him was starting to creep you out. And then there was a hand on your shoulder.You turned to look at who it was, and you were quite surprise when your eyes landed on Arthur. Your heart skipped happily, and you gave a smile. You were going to say something, but decided to let him speak to you first. Well, after he stopped staring daggers at Thirston. Arthur cleared his throat and it was obvious he wanted to talk.

 

   "Well Merlin, let's get going." he gave a small smile as he tugged Merlin away from the other.

 

   Thirston looked mightily offended. "Where are you taking him off to?"

 

   "I don't think that really concerns you." And Arthur was instantly tugging you away. You followed, feeling a blush settle on your cheeks.

 

   "Where are we going?" you say quietly with a bit of a confused tone as he slowly starts slowing down.

 

   "The pub. Like normal men take their friends for a few birthday drinks."

 

   You quirk an eyebrow, and you give a smirk. "Oh? Are you saying I'm your _friend_?"

 

   Arthur didn't say anything else as he dragged you to the pub. He walked inside, and people parted until he got to the small bar, where he found two seats and sat you down rather forcefully, actually, before sitting down himself. "Is mead alright with you? It's alcoholic enough." and he orders a pitcher and two cups, and you raise your eyebrows. This is the first thing Arthur has _ever_ bought for you. You aren't to sure how to react.

 

   "So, that knight. What's his name?" Arthur started the conversion, and you instantly furrowed your eyebrows. Why does that matter to him?

 

   "Thirston. Seems like a nice fellow. He was telling me stories about his adventures." You answered truthfully.

 

   "And he seemed to be getting pretty _chummy_ with you." Something about Arthur's attitude made you a little confused. Is... Is Arthur _jealous_???

 

   "Yes, but that's no problem." You remind him, and you can see his face twists at that.

 

   When the mead gets to Arthur, you pour both glasses full, and he instantly is taking a rather large chug from his. "You don't have to work tomorrow." He said has he puts the cup down. "I _fully_ intend on getting you raging drunk."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I had gone over to my uncles house for a while there, and I suppose I totally side tracked the fact I even started this chapter in the first place. Hahah, well, here it is anyways, hope some minor fluff is okay with you~ c:

   You don't actually remember a lot of what happened that night, it all sort of seems like a blur. You remember getting drinks handed to you over and over again, but you don't remember what you were doing. You remember a kiss, but you were not sure who it was with, and if it was just a dream or not. You honestly just hope it was a dream. Yeah, a dream. Something that doesn't matter. _Last_ thing you want is to wake up and realize you did something really stupid. You roll around in your sleep, and you feel like you should have rolled off the bed right now. But no, you ran into something warm. You didn't think before just snuggling right into it. At this point, you honestly don't care. You just want to be warm and you want to sleep, because you can feel a head ache that is threatening to wake you up. No, you can't let that happen. You know you should wake up at some point. And then you remember.

 

   Arthur!

 

   You spring up in a sitting position, and then you freeze. Where the hell-- You take a moment to register you aren't in your room. No, because your room isn't this big. You look down at yourself. Just in your underwear, like a normal summer morning. You try to take in the room, something about it looks so familiar. You look to the bed, and you feel like your heart stopped. _No_. _Way_. You get off the bed as fast as you possibly can, and try to look your pants. Once you find them, you put them on, ignoring the growing head ache. He can't see you like this. You just end up looking down, more like staring, at the sleeping figure of Arthur. Whoa. Did they...? Arthur stirs, and looks up at you. You would expect to see him get angry or something, start yelling at you to get to work or whatever, but no. He just stared, and you stared right back. It was almost like he was trying to figure out if you were real or not. Last time you checked, this wasn't some dream.

 

   "What happened last night...?" You spoke softly, and it was instant. Arthur's cheeks reddened. He's blushing.

 

   "Well, that's a very long story. And I'm not sure I really want to tell you." He turned his back to you, can you can see the nail marks down his back. Holy shit. You catch him before he gets off the be and you inspect them. They are too big to be animal claws. What the fuck is that from?

 

   "Arthur, what happened to you...?" You ask in a gentle voice, ghosting your fingers across his back, and in response to the gentle touches he shivered a bit. Arthur was silent for quite a while, and he almost seemed to lean back into your touches. A little confused and not wanting to over step, you pull your hand away, which seems to break the trance like state he was in.

 

   "Well," Arthur started with a small smack of his lips, his voice small and almost meek, which was extremely weird, as you haven't heard his voice like that unless it was something extremely serious."I.. suppose it would be unfair to keep it from you, even though I think you might regret knowing about it when I tell you--"

 

   "Tell me anyways. I need to know." Arthur sucks in a breath, and his back hunches a little, something you know he does when he really doesn't want to do something, but he is going to do it anyways. There was a pause, and he didn't seem to even breathe in that time. Finally, he began to speak.

 

   "I... got you very drunk last night, just as I planned. I had honestly had a little too much myself. You were loud, sloppy, and I was the one you were leaning on all night. I didn't mind it honestly, as I knew you don't drink as often as I do. You were getting flirty, and I figured you probably wouldn't want to find yourself hooked up with some random girl in the morning, so I took you home. Well, I guess I took you to Gaius, and told him I was taking you here. I suppose I didn't want to let you out of my sight..." He paused again. You could tell he really didn't want to say the rest. "When we got back here... You were in a very touchy feely... grabby mood, and I guess I started playing along too. We... kissed a few times... and... we messed around.." _Holy. Fuck._ That's all you needed to hear. You were standing up and all the way to the other side of the room in a freaking _instant_. You were staring back at him, and he was staring at you.

 

   "No. You're just jesting. There is no _way_ \--"

 

   "Merlin, I'm not lying. I swear my life on it." You feel yourself stiffen.

 

   "That's a serious swear..." You were in total disbelief. There is no way this could be real. Your cheeks were flushed, you were half naked in front of your crush. No. Did this mean they...? "Did we...?" you cocked your head to the side. Was it actual sex or just a lot of heavy petting. Because either way that is is first time for both and you are _really_ fucking upset you didn't remember this. Arthur shook his head.

 

   "No... We just... felt each other." That was kind of a relief, but still stressful and-- you are literately so upset you don't remember this, because it probably won't happen again. Honestly you will probably get fired. You except this fact, and you ready yourself for this. But Arthur don't seem to even care, or at least he isn't freaking about about it like you thought he would be. You were still trying to get your head around everything that was happening to you at the moment, and you slowly started to regain your bearings. "We. Are. _Not_. Telling. _Anyone_." You speak quickly, and put emphases on each word.

 

   Arthur gave you a strange look,"I would hope not, unless you would like to get executed. Remember, magic isn't the only thing he loathes." You give a nod, and then just stood silently. You didn't know what to do or what to say, or how to react. This is everything you have ever wanted, but you can't remember any of it. "I... honestly can't remember anything..." You look down to the floor, and you can feel Arthur's blue eyes staring right at you. Almost into you. And you were blushing like crazy.

 

   "Nothing...?" you hear his voice soft and almost empathetic.

 

   "Nothing whatsoever, other than pieces and parts of the kiss, but I didn't even know it was you..." And you felt like an idiot. You felt like you should just walk out of the room right here and not come back. You are so embarrassed. You were about to tell Arthur you were going to go when you raised your head to look at him, and he was already staring you right in the eye. You couldn't speak at all, and you found yourself completely froze in your place. And Arthur's request after that was even stranger.

 

   "Sing for me."

 

_What._ You refused, you refused to give into this, and it's not like you even knew what song would be good to sing in this situation anyways. You stare blankly at him, and now he was getting off the bed, walking toward you. "Sing." You felt your skin grow hot as he looked at you like that. The only thing that you could think to say is 'make me sing', but that probably wouldn't have been the most intelligent idea.

 

   Eventually, you let a low line of notes burble from your throat, and it almost seemed like he was dazed. You almost liked this. No, not almost, you did really like it. He seemed to be in a sort of trance, and this was all your own doing, and you weren't even using magic. Something about this made you really proud of yourself. And you began to sing louder, and he seemed to become more and more ensnared by your song. He was soon right in front of you, invading your personal space, but you didn't care. You had power over Arthur, and this made you feel... strange. Aroused, for sure. You take a step forward, and now your chest was pressed flush to Arthur's, and Arthur wasn't moving at all. His eyes were fixed on you and you alone, and you loved it. Your eyes were locked with his, and you felt his breath get heavier which now allowed you to feel the hot breath prick at the sensitive skin on your face. And it almost seemed like Arthur's cheeks were flushed red. You had no idea you had this much power, with your voice too. You close your eyes, despite the fact all you want to do is see that beautiful face flushed and staring at you, but it almost seemed like to much to handle at the moment. You can feel his breath get heavier, or maybe it was getting closer? You don't know, but your suspicions are soon answered. You felt warm lips press against yours, and you hitch your breath. You weren't expecting that.

 

   You stop singing, and he continues to kiss you, slowly but surely you gain confidence and kiss back. There is no way this could be happening for real. You feel your body heat even further at just this one simple kiss. This is so weird. Arthur slowly started to move his lips against yours, and you were at a complete loss, your eyes even going wide as well. He is kissing you, and this can't be a joke if he is kissing you like this. He is the prince of Camelot, and you are just a servant. But you were his servant, and you were loyal. You would do anything he asked at this point. You love him, and you know it. Before you even realize, you are being scooped into Arthur's arms, and you can feel his tongue sweep across your lips. Oh god, you shiver hard and slowly allow your lips to part for him, which he seemed to wait no time slipping his tongue in. Something about this was so strange about this, albeit you loved it. You love this way that he is holding you and the way his tongue glides expertly across your own. You pull away after some time, catching much needed breath as he gives you a small chuckle.

 

   "You didn't know what you were doing, did you?" Arthur said with a sort of coy voice, and it caused you to blush something fierce. Were you suppose to? Not everyone in the world has experience like he apparently does.

 

   You whine a little bit as a sort of auto response as Arthur pulls away. You look him right in the eye before he turns his head and goes to sit. You're rather confused at all of this, but you don't say anything. You don't have the chance.

 

   "You do intend to feed me, right Merlin? I'm starving." Arthur said in his normal pratish voice. You give quite the heavy sigh as you try not to get upset at him or at least sound to upset.

 

   "Sorry, Arthur. I'll get right to that." And you leave the room right there. And that awkward situation.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the wait! I started school, and have been way busier than I ever thought I would be! Senior year of highschool, guys! I'm almost out of hell! xD Anyways, I hope it is worth the wait!

   It's been a while since Arthur even talked to you. It's like he has been ignoring you even since that kiss. You did your usual bringing him breakfast, help him dress himself, even bathe him when he needed bathing, but Arthur hardly spoke to him. You couldn't decide if he was upset, embarrassed, or just using you because he wanted a kiss at that time. All you know is that you are having a really hard time with this. There is no way that he just kissed you to mess with you, to toy with you and watch you squirm. That just doesn't sound like something Arthur would do. Okay, maybe Arthur would do something like that. You just don't want to think it would be to you. On a rare occasion, you were asked by Arthur to go on hunting trip with him. You thought you would be the only one to go with him, like normal, but you were both accompanied by knights. That was strange in itself, as Arthur had stopped bringing knights with him for some time. Before this whole kissing nonsense, he use to take only you with him, must to his fathers chagrin. You miss those days, actually. You miss the days where you could innocently stare at his ass and no one would notice. Now you have to be extra careful.

 

   On this occasion in particular, you were asked to go on a hunting trip. You had stopped trying to get Arthur to bring you and you alone, and you had run out of good excused not to go, so you were sort of stuck. Oh well. You begrudgingly said yes, and proceeded to ready the horses. To your surprise, Arthur only showed up with one knight; one of the new recruits that Arthur had taken upon himself to train. You have always thought of it as sweet, the way Arthur will seemingly nurture these boys into brave men to fight for the good of Camelot.

 

   Arthur walked straight up at you and you immediately felt your skin heat up. He was staring at you. "Prepare to get wet, Merlin. The storm clouds seem to be coming in." You hold your breath a little bit and nod. Well, you wouldn't mind being out in a storm. Just as long as it wasn't thundering, you would be good.

 

   You hand Arthur the reins to his horse, and he gives you the smallest nod as he mounted his horse. You can't help yourself, you stare a little, and you feel you chest painfully wrench as you turn away, mounting your own horse, sighing softly. You should feel happy that you are going out with Arthur, no matter if there is knight there or not. You should feel happy, but you don't. You follow Arthur as soon as he decides to leave, the knight right behind you both, which makes you uncomfortable. You feel almost as if he is staring into your back, and you don't like that one bit. You try to shake it off, but the feeling juts stays. You feel weird, but you stay quiet, like you always do. Doomed to be quiet as you pass under the most steep cliff edge you think you have ever seen.

 

   You feel the first few rain drops on your shirt, and you can certainly smell the rain. You love rain, more than anything in the world. You give a soft, almost relieved and happy sigh as the rain gets heavier. You completely forgot about the eyes on your back, and the anger you felt at Arthur for not talking to you. You could deal with this. Rain always makes you happy. The rain got heavier, coming down in thick sheets from above. The ground was getting muddy, and the horses were starting to trip over themselves. They were going to need to turn back, or find some sort of shelter. Arthur doesn't seem to even notice how hard the rain is coming down, as he was obviously pushing his horse way too hard for this weather. The lightning came soon after the amount of water coming down, which startled the horses quite a bit. You struggled to keep yours under control, petting his mane and assuring him it was okay. The knight on the other hand wasn't having the best of luck. He was struggling to stay on his horse in general, as it was bucking and making it terribly impossible for him to hold on.

 

   And there was a crack of thunder. You jump, and you feel yourself begin to panic. You hate thunder. You panic, and you feel magic serge though you, much like it does when you use it. Oh no. You direct your eyes toward the cliff edge, and you see the large boulders and stones up on top glow for a half a second before seemingly awakening. They began rolling off the edge, and you called for everyone to move from the way. You caught a faint glimpse of Arthur at your side, and you didn't exactly look back to see if the knight was there. You were going to find some place dry do you can start a fire and brave out this thunderstorm. Loud booming came from the heaven and you felt your heart speed up every time. You were despite to find some place so you wouldn't have to stay right under the storm.

 

   Arthur was ahead of you now, and you heard his shouts. He was wildly waving his arms toward what looked like a cave. That's a good idea. You were there in an instant, taking refuge under the large overhang. Arthur could tell something was bothering you, you could just tell with that look in his eyes. It looked like he might just start teasing you. And the anger came back. You could feel it bubble in your stomach and up into your throat. He went to open his mouth, and you didn't care what he was going to say. You weren't listening.

 

   "Save it, Arthur. Save it for some one who cares." You snap before walking the horses into the cave. It was cold, dirty, and smelled like rotting vegitation, but it was better than outside. Arthur stomped inside after you and you were ready to hear an earful for what you said. Would you apologize? Of course not.

 

   "Merlin, have you forgotten who you are talking to? What has gotten into you? Refusing to go on hunting trips with me, acting like--"

 

"A prat?" You spin around, now aimed directly at him. "I think I certainly have good reason."

 

   "Oh?" Arthur's pitch was getting a little higher, and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Do tell, Merlin."

 

   "You kissed me and then you ignored my existence unless you needed me to do chores." A plus, you made that sound the most blunt humanly possible.

 

   Arthur sort of looked at you with a blank expression, and slowly his cheeks began to warm up. You could tell something clicked behind those beautiful blue eyes. "Oh." Some part of you felt satisfied with the reaction you got, but you want to drag it on for a little longer. You intensify your gaze toward him, and you can see how uncomfortable he was becoming.

 

   "Why don't you help me set stuff up. We need to get dry before one or both of us catch a cold." You say coldly, and turn your back to him, unloading stuff from the horses saddles.

 

 

 

   Luckily, not much got wet in the saddle bags. You were smart enough to pack an extra change of clothes, for both you and Arthur, and currently your sopping wet clothes were drying by the fire. You were huddled up in a blanket, while Arthur paced back and forth. You could tell he was still uncomfortable, but you didn't care. Serves him right. He was an ass for doing what he did. You directed you attention away from the prattish prince, grabbing up a stick and poking the fire. You gave a slight sigh, and you watch small embers fall from the wood, dancing down the ash until they disappeared into a little black speck. You watched this for a few moments before you were interrupted.

 

   "Stop that." Arthur's tone was stern as he grabbed the stick from your hand. You didn't notice how far the flames were licking up the maybe six inch stick. You furrow your brow, looking up at him with a rather irritated look on your face. "You almost burned you hand, Merlin." He spoke a little softer than his stern tone last time, throwing the stick into the fire. but his hand stayed on yours, and you felt your cheeks heat despite yourself. Damn it. You look away from him as he sits next to you.

 

   "Merlin, you can't stay mad at me forever." His voice was much softer this time, and it sent shivers down you spine. Nope, your not mad at him anymore, but you wanted to keep up appearances. You scoff, but don't scoot away like you normally would. He takes advantage of this and wraps an arm around your waist. You instantly go rigid, and a little more of that anger comes back. That's until he speaks again. "I'm sorry, alright? I just wasn't sure how to react to you after the kiss... I didn't mean to avoid you." You don't need anything else. You turn to him, and this time it's you lips on his. He is rigid, but eventually he relaxes against you, casing you to smile a little bit. The kiss lasts way shorter than you wanted, as Arthur pulls away.

 

   "You sure are eager, aren't you?" Arthur said with quite a bit of a blush on his cheeks. How cute.

 

   "My form of pay back." you give a smile as he pull yourself away from him, your heart thumping away in your chest a million miles an hour. You even stand, walking toward the opposite side of the small cave, the blanket loose in your hands. You went to turn around and look back at Arthur as you leaned against the wall, but you certainly weren't expecting to get what you got.

 

   Arthur must have been using his hunting skills or something, because you didn't hear him behind you at all, you only knew he was there when you turned, and he pinned you against the wall. You cheeks heated up brightly, and he was grinning at you. "So, you mind telling me why you suddenly like kissing me so much?"

 

   "Yes, I do mind, actually." You spit out, your eyes wide. Arthur just rolled his eyes, giving a small chuckle as he leaned in, his kiss rather forceful, but you didn't mind one bit. You were instantly pressing yourself against him, and he was in turn pressing you against the wall. You felt like you couldn't get close enough to him, your hands twisted in his hair and lips tangles with his. You find yourself making little noises, clutching anything of his you could get your hands on, and he the same to you. You whine as he pulls away, but he is instantly kissing your neck and your collar bone, causing a small moan to leave your lips.

 

   "Arthur..." You can tell your little moans are getting to him, not only does he shiver a little, but you can feel other parts of him are getting a little excited too. His hands slowly move from your sides, slowly trailing down your front, and the fingers on one of his hands slowly dip into your pants, and you freeze stiff. Arthur catches this and instantly pulls himself away, giving a half away awkward smile.

 

   "Let's go sit by the fire." He said softly, taking your hand and slowly leading you over to the warmth and comfort of the small fire, blazing hot.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, lots of stuff has happened. Schools a lot harder than I thought it would be, I've been moving a lot, and my mom was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer :c she is doing just fine now, things have just been /very/ stressful. This chapter won't be nearly as long as the others, just enough to give you guys something to read. It will actually be really short, unfortunately I don't have time for a chapter as long as I usually write :c sorry. I know how much it bothers me when a fan fiction I love reading hasn't updated xD enjoy this shit chapter~ if I get adventurous, I'll add more to this later <3

   You open your eyes, stretch your limbs, and shiver. Its cold, and the fire was hardly embers now. Arthur wasn't next to you, and that sort of concerned you. You stand slowly, feeling your cold joints stretch and pop a little. 

   "Arthur?" You murmured, looking around the little cavern, shuffling your frozen feet around the stone and dirt floor. 

   "Yeah, here Merlin." You hear that familiar beautiful voice reach your ears, and you smile. You could listen to that voice for days. He emerged from around the corner, dried fruits and meats on a plate, as well as his water pouch. "I hope you realize, Merlin, you feel asleep before feeding me last night."

   You furrow your brow, looking over him a little. "W-what? But I--"

   "No, you didn't." Arthur said far more stern this time.

   You furrowed your brow further. But, you cooked dinner after Arthur had... Does this mean...?

     "You feel asleep after you sat down near the fire. You started staring at it, and nearly fell in. I had to make sure you didn't catch your sorry arse on fire." 

   You roll your eyes. A dream. Another bloody dream. You are getting really tired of these. But why didn't Arthur wake you up for dinner? You'll never understand his motives. "Sorry. Guess I got a little too tired of you. Let me make breakfast at least, so you don't poison yourself with your horrific cooking skills."

   This earned you a scoff and a slap to the shoulder, and you smiled as you began to cook some food.


End file.
